Extensible desk top



May 19, 1931. G. w. SCHULZ v 1,805,890

EXTENSIBLE DESK TOP Filed Nov. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I M x May 19,1931. e. w. SCHULZ 1,805,890

EXTENSIBLE DESK TOP 7 Filed NOV. 21, 1928 I 2 Sheets-Shget Patented May19, 1931 UNITED STATES scones w. scnvLz, r CLEVELAND, HI

AsSIGNQR r0 YAWMAN & nnnn MANUFAC- TUBING 00-, O RO HESTER, NE Y RK, AGQB BAT QN. OF NEW YORK I EXTENSIBLE DESK 'ror Application filedNovember 21, 1928. Serial No. 320,780.

This invention relates to an extensible top for furniture construction,and it pertains more particularly to a commercial bookkeepers deskadapted to be used with a bookkeeping machine and portable posting trayso that the bookkeeper may expeditiously make his entries, consultvarious card indexes, etc. with comfort and convenience. Inmodernbookkeeping practice it is desirable to provide each bookkeeperwith a complete plant in which thedesk mustpreferably be compact andrelatively small. 5 I 7 An objectof this invention is to provide s suc adesk Withan extensible t p whereby adequate space may be provided forsorting checks, bills and other papers, examining large and bulkylodgers, etc.

A further object: is to provide an extensible top in vwhich the movableportion is flushwith the fixedportionwhen in; the extended position. I I

A. further object is to provide. improved guide and supporting means forthe mov- I able top portion whereby it. may be. readily moved into theclosed or extended positions. Another object to provide a commercialbookkeepers desk top with. a telescoping guard rail which also serves toprevent the e0 front of the extended top from tipping forward. a

Another object is toprovide properly aligned flanges on the. fixed andextensible portions whereby they fit snugly in an ex- 7 V 35. tendedposition and whereby the inclined flange also serves as a guide when:the desk top is closed. I

Other objects will be apparent as the detailed description of myinvention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings wherein similar parts are represented bylike, reference characters throughout the several views, Fig. 1 is aperspective of my improved bookkeepers desk showing the topin closed.415 position and showing the relative p.osition of the bookkeepingmachine. I

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective showing the desk top in extendedposition.

Fig. 3 is a verticalsection showing'the 5 desk topin open positiomand Fig. 4 is a similar vertical section sl1ow-' ing the desktop in closedposition.

, Referring to Figs. land 2, a desk 10 is provided with suitable drawersl1 andmov- .able top 12. This top is preferably provided with anextension 13 for utilizing the space between the desk and thebookkeeping machine, a cut-away portion 14 being vprovided to allow thecarriage 15 of the bookkeeping machine 16 to travel therein.

When the movable top portion 12 is extended, the fixed top portion17-isexposed (see Fig. 2). The fixed top portion isprovided with endguard rails 18 and '19 and with a rear guard rail 20. The tops of theend guard rails are formed into rebent flanges 21 and 22 respectively.End guard rails 23 and 24 on movable'top' member '12 cooperate withguard rails'18 and 19 when the top is in extended position, to form anenclosure for the top of the desk and to prevent. papers or cards from,being blown away or dislodged; The guard rails 23 and 24 telescope inthe space between guard rails 18 and 19 and their respective rebcntflanges 21 and 22 when the movable top is closed. A guard rail 25is-preferably proided for the extended portion 13 of the movable topmember, this guardrail being an extension of the guard rail 24..

ward force on the extended portion of top only and that variousmodifications will fall.

within the scope ofmy invention.

The sheet metal stamping 26 may bethe top of a sheet metal desk or itmay be a detachableimember by which the vslidable top' may bemountcd onany existing desk, the.

downwardl-ycxtcnding flange 27 being pro vided with apertures 28 forthis purpose. The. front of the stamped metal sheet 26 is preferablyprovided with downwardly bent flanges for reenforcing it and forsimulating 1 This arrangement of guard railsnot only thickness andgiving it a more solid appearance. A downwardly bent flange at the rearof this sheet abuts against and is secured to the rear guard rail 20.The fixed portion of the extensible top structure is mounted on plate 26and it preferably comprises a sheet metal plate 29 having a flangeabutting against guard rail 20 and a rebent flange resting on plate 26.A suitable desk topping material 30, such as linoleum, is mounted onplate 29 and is held thereon by a metal sheet 31 which acts as amoulding strip 31a for protecting the edge of the linoleum and whichacts as a guide or track 31?) for the rollers supporting the movableportion, as will hereinafter be pointed out.

This reenforcing plate 31 is provided with an obtuse flange 310 to whichis secured the front end of plate 29. At the lower end of the obtuseflange there is a slight horizontal portion extending to and abuttingagainst a guide rail 36.

The movable top portion also consists of a metal plate 29 upon which ismounted suitable covering 30 of linoleum or other desk topping material.Secured to the plate 29 are brackets 32 and 33 in which are journaledrollers 34 and 35 for supporting and slidably mounting the extensibleportion of the top. Roller 34 is adapted to travel on a 1guide rail 36,the outer end of this guide rail aving an inclined portion 360 of thesame slope as the obtuse flange 310. A locking member 37 fixed to guiderail 36 co-acts with roller 35 when the top is extended for preventing aweight on the overhanging top from rotating the movable portion aboutroller 34. The rebent flanges 21 and 22 cooperate with guard rails 23and 24 to prevent this end of the movable-top from flying up when theroller is not engaged by the locking member 37. A stop member 38 limitsthe outward movement of the extensible portion and allows a certaindegree of flexibility for the locking member 37.

The front of the extensible top portion is preferably provided with adownwardly extending rebent flange 39 to simulate thickness, to which issecured a suitable moulding 40 for overlying and protecting the edge ofthe linoleum. The rear part of the extensible top portion is providedwith an acute angle moulding strip 41, the upper leg of which protectsthe edge of the linoleum and the lower edge of which abuts against theobtuse angle flange 310 on the fixed portion of the top. Since theangles of the flange 310 and the moulding 41 are supplementary, theseelements will fit closely together and the top surface of the fixed andmovable portions will lie in the same plane when the top is extended.

The operation of my improved device is apparent from the abovedescription: When the movable top is pushed rearwardly roll;

ers 34 and 35 travel upwardly on the inclined surfaces 36a and 310toelevate movable top 12 above fixed top 17 and to bring guard rails 23and 24 to the top of guard rails 18 and 19. When the movable portion isat the limit of its inward motion the fixed portion is entirely covered.

While I have herein illustrated a specific embodiment of my invention,it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changesand modifications may be made without departing from the principle andscope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An extensible furniture top construc tion comprising a fixed portionand a movable portion, an inclined flange on said fixed portion, asupplementary flange on the movable portion, guide means associated withsaid fixed portion, rollers carried by said movable portion andcooperating with said guides to cause the supplementary flanges toregister when the top is in extended position, means for locking theinner end of the -movable portion in extended position, said guide meanscausing the movable portion to cover the fixed portion when the top isin closed position.

2. An extensible furniture top construc able element, a locking memberon said fixed element engageable with said means for limiting theextending movement of said movable element; and means directing saidmovable element to a position to cover the fixed element when the top isin closed position.

3. In furniture construction, a stationary top, end and rear guardrailsfixed to said top, a rebent flange on said end guard rails, a movabletop, guide means associated with said fixed top, means carried by saidmovable top for coact-ing with said guide means whereby the movable topcovers the fixed top when closed and is positioned in the samehorizontal plane with it when extended, and end guard rails on saidmovable top adapted to be a continuation of said first mentioned guardrails in extended position and to telescope with said guard rails andtheir rebent flanges in closed position.

4. In furniture construction, a stationary top, end and rear guard railsfixed to said top, a rebent flange on said end guard rails, a movabletop, guide means associated with said fixed top, means carried by saidmovable top for coacting with said guide means whereby the movable topcovers the fixed top when closed and is positioned in the samehorizontal plane with it when extended, said fixed and movable topscomprising inclined complementary flanges, one of which is disposed andadapted to rest on the other when the tops are extended into the samehorizontal plane, and end guard rails onvsaid movable top adapted to bea continuation of 7 said first mentioned guard rails in extended 10position and to telescope with said guard rails and their rebent flangesin closed position. r

5. An extensible furniture top construction comprising a fixed portionand a movable portion, an obtusely inclined flange on said fixedportion, and a supplementary acute angle portion on the movable portion,guide means associated with said fixed portion, mounting means carriedby said movable portion and coacting with said guide means to cause thesupplementary angle portions to rest on the other when the top is inextended position, a locking member on said fixed element engageablewith said mounting means for limiting the extending movement of saidmovable portion, and means cooperating with said inclined flanges andsaid mounting means for directing" said movable portion to a position tocover the fixed portion when the top is in closed position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this second day ofNovember, 1928.

GEORGE WLSGHULZ.

